NEW YORK–World Jewish Congress president Ronald S. Lauder condemns the killing of George Floyd as a “horrific racist act” and calls on protesters to remain nonviolent in expressing their legitimate anger.

“Like most Americans, I was sickened by the sight of a Minneapolis police officer murdering a young African-American man in a horrific racist act reminiscent of the worst moments in our nation’s history. But the answer to racism and bigotry must never be rampant violence. I join leaders on all sides of the political spectrum in calling for calm as we must all work to heal our nation and bring all Americans, black and white, Jewish, Christian and Muslim, together.

“At the same time, while I of course understand and share the anger at the brutal killing of George Floyd, I am appalled by the unrestrained violence that threatens to tear our nation apart. In the spirit of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, we must all bear in mind that nonviolent protest, not looting and destruction, is the only legitimate way for all those who wish to affect our national agenda to take part in a sober, bipartisan eradication of racism, anti-Semitism, and other hatreds in American society.”

Full text in English here.